


Ohana is forever

by MissSlothy



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Angst, Gen, Gen or Pre-Slash, M/M, Nightmares, Serious Injuries, Torture, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-19
Updated: 2019-07-19
Packaged: 2020-07-08 15:35:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19871968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissSlothy/pseuds/MissSlothy
Summary: Steve’s worst nightmare comes true.Written for the ‘Jot it Down July’ challenge on Tumblr.Wednesday is Whumpnesday (who wants to see their favourite character crying.). Please read the notes at the beginning of the story.





	Ohana is forever

**Author's Note:**

> This story started off as a simple whump-fest of 1,000 words. Somewhere along the line it became very dark. Torture and nightmares are a central theme so if that upsets you please don’t read it - I’d hate to upset anyone :(
> 
> It’s been written very quickly with no beta. Apologies in advance for errors.
> 
> Thanks to Tari-Aldarion and Nihilvanum for posting this challenge on Tumblr.

Steve’s used to having nightmares.In the Navy SEAL teams they were acknowledged but rarely talked about.You learnt from them. Then you moved on. 

Returning to Hawai’i his nightmares had been about his Dad and Freddie. On the bad nights he imagined how his Dad had suffered at the hands of Hesse. On the very bad nights he imagined Freddie was still alive and imprisoned in North Korea. Waking up, staring into the darkness, he’d berate himself for not being better at his job.

Talking to Lou, and then to the Veterans Support Group, had taught him coping mechanisms. The guilt and self-loathing didn’t magically disappear. But he learnt how to balance it with reality. He finally accepted he wasn’t Superman, he couldn’t fix everything.

And of course, there was Danny. Danny’s become his anchor. Always there with him during the bad times. Gently persuading, nagging or arguing, doing whatever it takes to make sure his nightmares don’t drag him down into a dark abyss.

Over the years he’s got better at balancing things. The nightmares have become few and far between. Then one night - when the sky is still pitch black and the birds aren’t singing - he wakes up in a cold sweat. Heart thumping so hard it makes his rib cage hurt, he struggles to get a lungful of air. All his senses reach out, searching for the threat.

Someone’s got Danny. 

It’s not real of course.It’s just a nightmare.But the horror lingers long after he comes awake.He can hear Danny’s grunts of pain as someone hits him, the sickening slap of flesh striking flesh.He can smell blood and sweat and the scent of fear in the air.Most of all, he can feel panic coursing through his veins.

Jumping out of bed, he grabs his cell phone from the bedside table. Taking the stairs two at a time he heads downstairs.Running himself a glass of cold water he focuses on how the cold water is making his tongue tingle, how his naked skin is goose-pimpling in the cool air.

It doesn’t help.

Pacing around the house, checking all the doors and windows, doesn’t help either.He’s jittery, on edge.Only one thing is going to let him settle but it’s the one thing he doesn’t want to do.As the sun starts to creep over the horizon he texts Danny, to ask if he’s okay.

Perching on the edge of his Dad’s old recliner, he stares at the blank screen of his phone, waiting for a reply.It feels like forever.Danny’s asleep, he reminds himself, as another minute passes.

He jumps when his phone pings loudly, announcing the arrival of a text.

_Get the coffee on._

Guilt makes his fingers hover over the screen for a moment. Then he gets up to fulfil Danny’s instructions.

By the time Danny arrives, striding in the front door without announcement, the coffee is made and he’s showered and dressed.It’s light outside but barely.Guilt’s still gnawing at him as he offers a mug of coffee.

Danny takes it without comment.Pulling out a stool, he makes himself comfortable and takes his first sip.He winces at the first sip - too hot - but the second one gets a sigh of appreciation. 

Steve tries not to fidget as Danny puts the mug down.He asked him to come - virtually begged him to come in his own round-about way - so complaining isn’t an option. 

Danny scratches at the whiskers on his chin.It sounds loud in the heavy silence between them.“What happened, babe?”

Steve picks up his own coffee mug, hides behind it for a moment.“Nightmare,” he confesses with a shrug.

The ends of Danny’s lips turn down.“Bad one?”

The worst.“Yup.”

Danny chews as his bottom lip, his eyes dark with worry.“It can’t be anything that’s happened recently, we haven’t—“

“It never happened at all.”Steve looks away.The sense of fear is still lingering in the pit of his stomach.Inviting Danny was a bad idea.Exhaling slowly, he meets Danny’s gaze.“You were in it.”

“Oh.”Danny looks as if he’s going to ask for details.Then he shakes his head.He raises his mug again, sips slowly.“What is wrong with you, huh?It’s not enough that you’ve got a Netflix of real-life nightmares to choose from, you have to go and make shit up?”

Danny’s tone is the perfect balance of fond mocking and genuine concern.Steve manages a half-smile in reply.“Hey, you’re the one who always accuses me of overachieving, buddy.”

“Yeah.But do you have to it in everything?Really, Steven?”

It’s the ‘ _Steven_ ’ that makes him snort with laughter, that starts to nudge away the lingering feeling of dread.It gets him through the day that follows - that and Danny’s gentle cajoling. 

It’s a duty that Danny seems reluctant to give up. That evening, as they’re walking to the parking lot outside the Palace, Danny offers to get takeout and beers. Steve hesitates, then declines. He knows that Danny’s picking up Charlie, they’ve got other plans. It was just a nightmare. There’s no need for Danny to totally reschedule his life.

Danny’s answering frown makes his heart clench painfully.On impulse he pulls Danny in for a hug.There’s grumbling then Danny concedes.They stand with their bodies warm and solid against each other.Pulling away is difficult.They both stuff their hands in their pockets as they step away. 

His heart feels heavy as he watches the Camaro disappear into the distance.But Danny’s left him with one last instruction - to be at his house at 7am for pancakes with Charlie.It makes going home to an empty house much easier.

The evening passes quickly - it’s not like he’s not used to being on his own.But when he closes his eyes to sleep the nightmare is back.The details aren’t clear, he can’t see the faces of Danny’s attackers.But Danny’s pain and fear feels real. _So_ real .

When he opens his eyes, he’s panting with panic.His throat is sore from yelling Danny’s name.Blindly he reaches out for his phone on the bedside table.He’s on the verge of calling Danny when he stops himself.Swallowing hard, he puts the phone back.

It didn’t happen, he reminds himself, staring at the ceiling.There’s nothing to worry about.It’s _not_ real .

H50H50H50

It’s a Wednesday morning when his worst nightmare turns into reality.

He’s out on his normal run, heading for the local gym.It’s not until someone grabs him from behind he realises he’s in trouble.He easily eels out of their grip.Then more hands grab him and he’s been bundled into a black van.A woman screams, someone yells to call the police. 

He doesn’t hear anything else because the van is moving.Something’s pulled over his head.He’s blind now and although he’s still fighting it’s a losing battle.A fist makes contact with his jaw.His head jerks back and he’s seeing stars behind his eyelids.Another blow and he’s fighting to stay conscious.

His last coherent thought is that he’s glad Danny’s not with him. 

H50H50H50

Danny _is_ with him. It’s the first thing he notices when he regains consciousness: Danny is tied up in the chair next to him.

His vision is blurry.Concussion, Steve thinks vaguely, but he’s already dismissing it, focussing on only one thing - Danny looks like hell.

“I’m okay,” Danny says as their eyes meet.He licks his lips, wincing as his tongue slides over split skin.“They hurt you?”

Steve shakes his head.He regrets it instantly.Swallowing down the taste of bile, he forces himself to concentrate on Danny.His partner’s voice is slurred slightly.There’s blood around his mouth and nose.His knuckles are bloodied too.It’s obvious he’s taken a beating.Red-hot anger stirs in Steve’s chest at the sight.

Looking down, he realises his own knuckles are split too.He’s tied to the chair with rope around his wrists and ankles.The chair is anchored to the floor with bolts.Testing the ropes makes his heart sink.Whoever tied the knots knew what they were doing. 

Looking around doesn’t improve his mood either.They’re in a small empty room.Probably a warehouse, he thinks, recognising the smell of rotten fruit.There’s nothing obvious he can use to get them out of here.He’s going to have to let this play out, at least for a while.

“Any idea who they are?” he asks, clamping down on his anger as he looks at Danny’s face again. 

Danny shakes his head.“They skipped the introductions, babe.”He groans, shifting carefully against the ropes.“Not sure they can write their own names.”

Steve dismisses the information.They’re going to pay for what they’ve done to Danny.Names are irrelevant.

He doesn’t have time to ask any more questions.The door opens.Three goons - and that’s what they look like - crowd through, followed by the man in charge.

Steve studies him, watching as the man paces backwards and forwards in front of them.His face doesn’t look familiar and that’s worrying.He’d assumed this was about revenge, maybe a previous case they’ve worked on.This adds an element of unpredictably, of danger, that he’d prefer not to have.

His concussed brain chooses that moment to share an image from his nightmare.It’s of Danny, slumped unconscious and bleeding in a chair.Quashing it hard, he throws the image deep into the deepest recesses of his mind.Blinking to clear his vision, he focuses on their captor instead.

Hands on hips, their captor leans down to loom into their faces.“Tell me where Henri Marques is.”

Danny blinks in confusion.Steve understands why - Danny has no idea who Henri Marques is.But  _fuck_ , he does.Marques is an international criminal, wanted by Interpol.He’s currently in custody in a top-secret location on the Islands.He knows this because the Governor had summoned him for a secret briefing, preparing him in case anything went wrong.The rest of the team don’t know, including Danny.

There’s no way he can let his man know where Marques is.

He isn’t given a chance to answer. A goon steps forward. Grinning, he pulls his arm back and then swings, hitting Danny in the stomach. Danny folds double, his wrists straining against the ropes.

As Danny struggles upright again Steve yells, the words ripped from his throat: “Leave him alone.He doesn’t know anything—“

“It’s okay, babe.” 

Danny’s grinning at him - he’s fucking  grinning  \- and then it hits him:Danny  _knows_ he’s got the information.He’s going to do anything he can to protect him, to stop him from handing it over.

“No.Danny...don’t...”

“My Mom can hit harder than this schmuck,” Danny shoots back, turning his head to spit blood on the floor.“Hell, my six-year old son has a better right-hook than this bozzo—“

Danny’s cut off as a fist hits him squarely on the side of the head.He slumps sideways.As he struggles back up another fist hits him, then another.It’s relentless, the sound of flesh hitting flesh.

Steve strains against his bonds, willing them to snap by the power of his anger alone.Beside him Danny’s groaning as each blow strikes him.Eyes closed, his face is rigid with pain.“If you want to him someone, hit me,” Steve grinds out, his fingers curling into fists.“Cut these ropes.Show me how brave you are.”

The man cocks his head to one side, watching him. His smile grows.Slowly his turns head towards Danny.His smile grows even more.“Break his fingers.”

“No.”

Steve’s breathed the denial.Horrified, his voice is barely whisper.The man he loves - and he does love him - opens his eyes and meets his gaze.There’s pain there but also calm acceptance of what’s to come.Closing his eyes, Danny squares his shoulders...

...And he screams as they break the fingers on his left hand.

Steve pulls on the ropes, uses all his strength to try and shift them.His heart’s thudding, blood pulsing so hard through his head it feels like it’s going to explode.Gritting his teeth, he swallows down the words - the information - this man wants from them.There has to be another way. There  has  to be.

Danny stops screaming.Slumped over, eyes closed, he’s panting like he’s just run a marathon.

“Hold on, Danny,Just hold on.They’re gonna find us and—“

Steve tastes blood as a fist connects with his jaw.He’s pretty sure he’s just lost a tooth.He relishes the pain though, he welcomes it.If they’re hitting him it means they’re leaving Danny alone.

“You really think they’re gonna find you alive?” The man sneers in his face. Looking away, he clicks his fingers.The goons start punishing Danny’s body again.

Steve flinches as understanding hits him like it’s a physical blow.The sloppy way he’d been abducted in daylight, the fact they’ve seen this man’s face.This isn’t a slow game of negotiation.Once they hand over the information, they’ll be killed and their bodies dumped somewhere.

They have to hold on for as long as possible.He risks a look over at Danny.Fear coils in his stomach.There’s blood everywhere and Danny’s barely moving, his breathing shallow and fast.Danny can’t take another beating. 

He can’t watch someone else he loves die.

“You’re wasting your time,” he spits out, straining forwards.The chair arms creak but it’s not enough to break them.  Fuck it’s not enough.“He doesn’t know, okay.The governor told me.It’s  me you need to beat the crap out of, not him.”

For a second he thinks it’s actually worked.The goons turn away from Danny, take a step towards him.He takes a breath to steady himself.Then the man laughs, leaning down until he’s just inches from his face.

“I know that  _Commander_ McGarrett.Why do you think we’re beating your friend?”

Bile burns his throat.He gags on it as the situation becomes crystal clear.“She didn’t give me an address,” he stammers and it’s not all playacting - Danny’s going to die before they can be rescued if he doesn’t think up something fast.“I know where the safehouses are though.Get me a map and I’ll show you—“

A fist hits him in his solar plexus. All the air is punched out of his lungs along with his ability to speak.Gasping, he grips the chair as another blow lands, then another.When the blows stop he straightens up carefully - he’s pretty sure he’s got a busted rib - then raises his chin to meet the man’s eyes.They’re dark, hard, there’s no emotion in them.A shiver slides down his spine.

The man’s hand darts out, faster than Steve can track with his blurred vision.Pain shoots through his nose and up through his skull.His headache goes off the scale.Everything turns red and for a second his brain short-circuits.Then he blinks and realises he’s just got blood in his eyes.

“You’re lying.Tell me.”The man’s eyes are flashing with anger, his lips curling in a snarl.They’re running out of time and options.

Steve opens his mouth to say something,  anything, to buy them more time.Then Danny stirs, lifting his head slowly.Painfully.Eyes barely open, he licks his lips.“Whatever they...want...don’t give....don’t give it to ‘em...Steve.”

The man grabs Danny’s hair, pulling his head backwards.Danny laughs: it comes out more like a hissing sound.Blood is bubbling on his lips, dribbling down his chin.

Steve’s blood freezes as the man pulls a gun out from the waistband of his jeans.Clicking off the safety, he puts it to Danny’s head.Steve’s mind flips and all of sudden he’s back in North Korea, listening to Hesse kill his father down the end of a phone line. 

“The Kainapua Estate. Kailua,” he yells, the words stumbling over each other.“That’s where they’re holding him.”

For a moment Steve doesn’t think the man believes him.He’s scowling at him, studying his face.But it’s the truth. He’s playing his final hand. He can feel blood and tears running down his face. He tastes salt as they mingle on his lips.

“Call the others.Take everyone, check the address,” the man says to one of the goons, throwing him his cell phone.“Call me if it’s the right place.”The goons disappear, closing the door behind them.The man starts pacing, the gun still in his hand.

Time passes. Steve’s panic grows as the minutes tick by. Danny’s eyes are closed, he’s not moving. He strains to hear Danny breathing over the sound of the man’s footsteps. He tenses, ready to try the ropes again. The man stops, cocks his head, waves the gun in ‘No, no, no’ gesture. Teeth grinding, Steve sits back again.

Suddenly there’s a loud bang on the other side of the door. The man stops pacing, turns to face them, a cold smile on his face. “I think your friends are here to rescue you,” he says, crouching down in front of Steve’s chair. “It’s a shame they’re going to be too late.” Glancing over at Danny, his gaze settles back on Steve. “There’s no point on wasting a bullet on your friend here,” he explains dismissively, “but you...I’m going to enjoy killing you.”

There’s another bang outside and instinctively the man glances towards it. Steve sees the chance he’s been waiting for. Channelling all the pain and anger he’s feeling into one last escape attempt he throws himself forward. Wood splinters and finally he’s got one arm free. The man’s head snaps back round at the noise but he’s already too late. Steve head butts him and he falls away.

Steve doesn’t see him go down - his head’s ringing, his vision is fading in and out. But he does see the door explode inwards. Suddenly Lou’s filling the doorway, looking like an avenging angel of death.

“Danny,” he mumbles, desperately trying to hold onto consciousness, weakly batting Lou’s hands away.“Check on Danny...”

“We’ve got him.It’s okay, Steve.”

He shakes his head.It’s not okay.It’ll never be okay again.“The Governor,” he whispers as darkness closes in on him, “Marquez...I told them about Marquez...”

H50H50H50

Lou stands in the doorway of the hospital room, watching his two friends.

Danny’s asleep.They’ve just given him another dose of pain medication.It’s been just over twenty-fours hours since they rescued him from the warehouse.He’s been in surgery twice.His face is so badly bruised Rachel’s stopped Grace and Charlie from visiting him.But the doctors are pleased with his progress.According to them, things could have been a lot worse.

Lou inwardly shakes his head at their diagnosis.He shivers at the memory of what he’d seen at the warehouse.Horrified, he’d looked at Danny and thought they were too late.The grief on Steve’s face is an image he’ll never forget.

Junior’s quick-thinking and training had kept Danny stable, long enough to get paramedics to him.But that had only been the first of several battles - and the battle is still going on.

Dragging his eyes away from Danny, he focuses on Steve.He’s sitting on the other bed in the room.Shoulders hunched, knees bent, he’s staring into space.Apart from rousing himself when the doctors come to visit Danny, he’s shut down.No one can get him to engage.

At first the doctors thought it was a side-effect of the severe concussion.Lou suspected differently straight away.Watching Junior, he could tell he knew too.They’ve got no details of what happened in the warehouse.But they can guess.And what they’ve guessed makes Lou’s blood boil.

Sensing movement behind him, he turns.He’s not surprised to find Junior standing there.The kid’s been on watch 24/7, the same as him.They both watch in silence for a while longer.No one disturbs them.It’s late, the hospital’s winding down for the night. 

Junior stirs first, letting out a tired sigh.“I’ll go make the call,” he says, pulling his cellfrom his pocket as he walks away.

Lou lets him go.Junior’s right.They’ve left it long enough.

When Junior returns while later, he’s not alone.Lou recognises the man with him: Mark Benning.He runs the Veteran’s Support Network.Ex-Special Forces, he retrained after being medically-retired from the Army.Over the years Steve’s introduced everyone in the team to Mark.

“You know if he won’t talk to me I’m gonna walk out of there,” Mark says quietly, glancing over at the room.“This might need someone with specialist training—“

“He trusts you,” Lou cuts in.He takes a breath, trying to rein back the worry he can hear in his voice.It’s not fair to place Mark in this position, he knows that.But his friends are hurting in there.

“We all trust you,” Junior adds, with gentle persuasion in his voice.‘Please.We just want you to try.He won’t talk to us and I get that...but...”

“....sometimes it’s easier to talk to a relative stranger,” Mark finishes for him.“Yeah,” he breathes, staring at the floor, “I know how that feels.”

Lou sights with relief as Mark disappears into the room, closing the door softly behind him.Asking for Mark’s help hadn’t been easy.It felt like they were betraying Steve.But speaking to Mark has convinced him it’s the right thing to do. 

That doesn’t mean waiting is easy.Lou experiences a twinge of envy as Junior sits back, arms crossed, eyes closed. He looks so relaxed.It’s not long before his right foot starts tapping through.Lou huffs wryly to himself and continues pacing.

When the door opens again, thirty minutes have passed.Anyone looking at Mark’s face would think it was longer - he looks tired, his lips clamped together in a tense, thin white line.

He slumps down into the chair beside Junior.Scrubbing at his face with his palms he sighs, then looks at both of them in turn.“He talked to me.I don’t know if I helped.”

Lou quashes the urge to ask what they talked about.It’s not his question to ask.He focuses on the faint dot of light in the darkness instead.“He talked.That’s something.”

Mark stares at the closed door.Puffing out his cheeks, he exhales loudly.“There’s a strong bond between them.”

Lou follows his gaze.He imagines the scene on the other side of the door.His heart sinks, heavy with sadness.“Yes.Yes, there is.”

Mark’s stare at the door doesn’t waver.“Please tell me you got the bastards who did this.”

“Yes, sir.We did.”

Junior’s voice is barely above a whisper.Marks hears it just fine.When he turns back to them his expression is grim but satisfied.“Good.”

Lou nods in agreement.He’d taken great satisfaction in telling the bastard who’d tortured his friends that they’d been a SEAL Team from Pearl guarding Henri Marquez.The outcome for anyone who approached the safe house with ill-intent had been predictable - and bloody.

“I promised Steve I’d come back tomorrow,” Mark explains, getting to his feet.His gaze drifts back to the closed door again.“He wants me to talk to Danny.He’s worried about him.”

Lou gets to his feet too, Junior doing the same beside him.Frowning, he shakes his head.“I’m not sure that’s a good idea.Danny’s pretty much out of it.They’ve got him on the good drugs—“

Mark stops him with a raised hand.“I’ll come anyway.”

Lou nods his thanks.He’s too tired to express how appreciative he is but he hopes Mark understands.When Mark pauses then pulls him in for a hug he goes willingly.The hugs expands as they pull Junior in too.The three of them stand together.No words are needed.

Junior offers to walk Mark back out.Lou rubs at his eyes tiredly, as he watches them go.Junior’s offered to stay tonight and he can’t pretend he’s not grateful - he needs Renee in his arms.He’s still torn with the need to be in two places though as he slips quietly inside Danny’s and Steve’s room.

He feels his heart ease a little as he watches Danny sleeping.He looks surprisingly peaceful.The medical staff are doing a good job.But all the worry rushes back in as he walks over to Steve.

Steve’s moved - backwards, further into the pillows.His head’s still down, his hands resting on his bent knees.He doesn’t acknowledge his arrival.He doesn’t react either when he explains the plans for that night, that Junior’s outside if he needs anything.

Biting back a tired sigh, Lou heads for the door.He’s reaching for the door handle when there’s movement behind him.

“I fucked up, Lou.”

Lou turns, slowly.His heart stop, stutters, starts again.Steve’s watching him.His eyes are hooded and red-rimmed.Swallowing hard against the lump in his throat, he takes a step back towards Steve.“No you didn’t,” he replies softly, deliberately looking over at Danny and back again.“You’re both alive.” He swallows again as the images from the warehouse replay in his minds-eye.“You stopped that bastard, Steve.”

Steve snorts. It sounds sharp, raw. “That’s not the point.”

“That’s exactly the point.”

“Back in the SEAL Teams I would never have got caught like that. Danny wouldn’t have—“

“You’re not in the Teams anymore.”

Steve jerks back as if he’s been struck.His head goes back down again.He pulls his knees closer to his chest and curls over them, a human knot of misery.

Lou curses silently at his own clumsiness.For a moment he considers backing off.A voice in his head encourages him to keep going - it sounds like Renee’s.Taking a deep breath, he sits down on the end of Steve’s bed.Clasping his hands on his knees, he keeps his head down.What he needs to say is going to be hard enough without looking at Steve.

“You’re Steve McGarrett. You’re my friend,” he says slowly, struggling to find the right words.“You’re the Head of Five O.You’re Grace and Will’s Uncle, you help them ace their chemistry tests.You’re teaching Charlie and Joanie to swim like baby seals do.You grill steaks for us all on Friday nights and you coach Junior League baseball on Saturday mornings.”He pauses.His next words need to count. “What you did in the SEALs....it was a different time and place, Steve.You don’t need to be that person any more. _We_ don’t expect you to be that person any more.”

Silence falls between them.It’s oppressive.Then Steve shakes his head.“Danny...” He chokes, his hand comes up to cover his face.“He almost died and I sat there doing nothing—“

“Hey.Hey.Now I know they ain’t true.”Lou reaches out, he can’t stop himself.Steve’s leg is rigid as stone under his hand.“I know you’re hurting right now and nothing I can say will take that hurt away.But I promise you, you aren’t alone.”

He squeezes Steve’s leg, desperate to get his attention.When he squeezes again, Steve slowly raises his head.He catches a glimpse of Steve’s eyes, glinting with unshed tears, then his head goes down again.

Words fail him for a moment.He realises he’s shaking.Anger and grief, he thinks vaguely.He should have put a bullet in that bastard’s head when he had the chance.Nobody should get away with hurting his Ohana like this. _Nobody_ .

Suddenly he knows what he needs to say.He leans down to catch Steve’s gaze, silently begging him to look up. 

“Ohana is forever, you’ve taught me that.Once you’re in, you’re never alone.Me, Danny, Tani and Junior - you picked us up when we were at our lowest and you gave us all a chance at a new life, to be part of your Ohana.Now it’s our turn to pick you up, you and Danny.And we ain’t going to fail you.We’re not.”He leans down further.“Nod if you understand me.”

There’s a nod.Tiny, almost imperceptible, but he knows he didn’t imagine it.

“Good.”He blinks rapidly.His eyes are pricking with emotion.He squeezes Steve’s leg again.“Try to get some sleep, huh?”

He knows his advice won’t be taken.But he does get another nod.Carefully he levers himself to his feet.He feels old as he makes his way round to Danny’s bed.Leaning in so his lips are next to Danny’s ear he repeats what he’d said to Steve - that Junior’s going to be outside if they need him.Reaching out, he strokes his hand across Danny’s forehead, smoothing back his hair.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he announces to both men, reluctantly heading for the door.He’s not expecting an answer but the silence still hurts.Stepping out, he closes the door behind.He takes a moment, eyes closed, breathing hard.

“You okay, Cap?”

Opening his eyes, he smiles weakly at Junior.Stretching his arms out, he waits for Junior to step forward then wraps them around him.Tightening his grip he sends up a silent prayer of thanks for this young man, the latest addition to their Ohana.Without him they might have been mourning the loss of one their own.Two, he corrects, glancing back over his shoulder at the closed door.If Danny had died in that warehouse they would have lost Steve too.

He says goodnight after extracting a promise from Junior to call him if he needs him.Out in the parking lot, he stops again, to catch his breath.Around him the City of Honolulu is sleeping.It’s a sharp contrast to the maelstrom of emotions in his head.

Pulling out his phone he texts Renee to tell her he’s on his way home.She texts him back a heart emoji.Sliding into the driver’s seat he rubs away the tears that are threatening to fall: there’ll be time for those soon.Turning the car towards home, he heads back to his family. 

Tonight he’ll hold Renee and Will close and be thankful. _So_ thankful. Tomorrow morning he’ll call  Samantha and check she’s okay too.Then, he’ll climb back into his car and drive back to the hospital.They’ve got a tough battle ahead of them.He’s determined it’s a battle they are going to win.

The End.


End file.
